1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and, more particularly, to an air conditioner which can be used in either humidification mode or dehumidification mode in accordance with a user selection, and in which there is no limitation to the installation place of the air conditioner when the air conditioner operates in the dehumidification mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, air conditioners are used to form more comfortable indoor environments for users. Such an air conditioner includes a dehumidifier for dehumidifying a confined space, for example, a room, a humidifier for humidifying the room, and a ventilator for ventilating the room.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of a conventional dehumidifier.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional dehumidifier includes a first flow path 2, through which indoor air passes, a first blower 4 arranged in the first flow path 2, to force the indoor air to flow along the first flow path 2, a second flow path 6, through which outdoor air passes, and a second blower 8 arranged in the second flow path 6, to force the outdoor air to flow along the second flow path 6. The dehumidifier also includes a desiccant wheel 10 arranged such that the first and second flow paths 2 and 6 extend through the desiccant wheel 10, a rotator (not shown) which turns the desiccant wheel 10, a heater 16 arranged in the second flow path 6, to heat the outdoor air or desiccant wheel 10, and a heat exchanger 18 arranged in the second flow path 6, to condense moisture absorbed from the outdoor air by the desiccant wheel 10.
The desiccant wheel 10 includes two portions, namely, a moisture absorption portion 12 arranged in the first flow path 2, to absorb moisture from the indoor air, and a moisture release portion 14 arranged in the second flow path 6, to release moisture to the outdoor air. After being used for a predetermined time, the desiccant wheel 10 is turned by the rotator (not shown) such that the positions of the moisture absorption portion 12 and moisture release portion 14 are reversed.
In order to achieve an enhancement in heat exchange efficiency, the dehumidifier may include at least one heat exchanger 18. In the illustrated case, two heat exchangers 18 are sequentially arranged in a flow direction of the outdoor air in the second flow path 6. A drain pan 20 is arranged beneath the heat exchangers 18, to collect condensed water discharged from the heat exchangers 18.
Operation of the conventional dehumidifier having the above-mentioned configuration will now be described.
Indoor air introduced from a room into the dehumidifier along the first flow path 2 passes through the moisture absorption portion 12 of the desiccant wheel 10.
The moisture absorption portion 12 absorbs moisture from the indoor air, so that the indoor air is dehumidified. The dehumidified indoor air is re-discharged into the room.
Meanwhile, outdoor air introduced into the dehumidifier along the second flow path 6 is heated by the heater 16, and then passes through the moisture release portion 13 of the desiccant wheel 10.
At this time, the heated outdoor air dries the moisture release portion 14 of the desiccant wheel 10. That is, the moisture release portion 14 releases moisture to the outdoor air, so that the outdoor air absorbs the moisture from the moisture release portion 14.
The outdoor air, which has absorbed moisture from the moisture release portion 14 of the desiccant wheel 10, is introduced into the heat exchangers 18. As the introduced outdoor air heat-exchanges with the outdoor air passing around the heat exchangers 18, the moisture of the hot and moist outdoor air is condensed in the heat exchanger 18 by the indoor air which is cold.
Water produced in accordance with the condensation of the moisture from the outdoor air in the heat exchangers 18 is discharged into the drain pan 20.
However, since the conventional dehumidifier is configured only to dehumidify indoor air, it is in capable of humidifying indoor air.
Meanwhile, in an air conditioner which is switchable between dehumidification mode and humidification mode, a duct (not shown) connecting the air conditioner to both the indoors and the outdoors must be used. For this reason, there is a limitation to the installation place of the air conditioner. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a separate path selector (not shown) at the duct (not shown), in order to selectively supply the humidified or dehumidified air to the indoors or outdoors. For this reason, there are problems of an increase in the size of the air conditioner, and a difficulty to prevent air leakage from occurring in the path selector (not shown).